Amputees Support Group
Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma or surgery. Many have undergone amputation or have been living with a missing limb since birth. In either case, life as an amputee can be challenging. This is the place to find others going through the same experiences as an amputee. Share your thoughts, troubles, and solutions with the community.
hello. I had a bka in September after a antibiotic-resistant infection in a post surgical sight got out of hand. Before this, I was in a wheel chair for about a year trying to heal. I have always been very active in my life and it came as quite a surprise that I wasn't able to get up out of my chair for about 6 weeks following the amputation. I had my first experience with the pin-lock system prosthesis. It was a disaster. After two months of constant pain and swelling, bruising at the end of my tibia and severe pinching, I couldn't take another step. It was then I went to my prosthetist and demanded a different system. I couldn't believe this never happened to other amputees and was tired of hearing "you just have to walk through the pain" and "I know this is the BEST system for you!" I was prepared to fire him and start searching for a new prosthetist, one who would listen to my pain and frustration and act on the fact that the pain was taking away all the joy in my life. I did my homework and decided to try the EMS suction system because I couldn't see the point of shoving a soft residual limb into another hard plastic tube! A few days ago I was fitted for the special suction inner socket and am waiting for the custom-made prosthesis to come. My question is: has anybody been through this? And does anyone have experience with this suction system?
I am considering elective amputation, and I am searching for people who have had a poor experience to ask some hard questions. How has things worked out by switching to the suction system? I am curious if you have had other issues? Do you feel as if you had a choice in the amputation or was it just a matter of the infection gave no choice.
I have a semi-choice to make. I can opt to keep my leg, but risk having benign tumors turn malignant, and I am in constant severe chronic pain.....so I feel as if (with out getting into all the details, HUGE history) amputation now is the only option, they want to try one more surgery first before amputating, but I'm done, I just want to be more humble about it, and realize not everyone has the best experience, as its been hard to find bad stories.
I really do wish you the best and hope that you have had a lot more success, and understand if you are not able to respond!